Pediatric News articles from June 2006

Pediatric News archives from June 2006

HPV vaccine gains panel's green light.(News)(human papillomavirus vaccine Gardasil)
June 1, 2006... GAITHERSBURG, MD. -- The vaccine that provides protection against the human papillomavirus types that cause 70% of cervical cancers moved closer to approval when it was unanimously endorsed as safe and effective for females aged 9-26 years by...

AAP soon to offer aid on phone care reimbursement: statement, tool kit are due later this year.(News)(American Academy of Pediatrics policy)
June 1, 2006... WASHINGTON -- Pediatricians can soon expect practical help with the reimbursement of telephone care when the American Academy of Pediatrics releases a policy statement and toolkit on the subject later this year, Dr. Andrew Hertz said at a...

New cold-adapted FluMist more effective than shots.(News)
June 1, 2006... SAN FRANCISCO -- An experimental, refrigerator-stable formulation of the intranasal influenza vaccine marketed as FluMist was significantly more effective than flu shots in a study of children aged 6-59 months. In the randomized,...

New FluMist seen safer for neonates.(News)
June 1, 2006... SAN FRANCISCO -- A Finnish trial testing an investigational refrigerator-stable version of the FluMist vaccine in healthy infants aged 6 weeks to 6 months suggests it might be given safely to babies below the recommended age of influenza...

Watch for Vitamin D deficiency in obese children, teens.(News)
June 1, 2006... OLD GREENWICH, CONN. -- Vitamin D deficiency, sometimes quite severe, is common in obese adolescents, according to a recent study by Dr. Margarita Smotkin-Tangorra and colleagues at Maimonides Medical Center in New York. Speaking at a...

Parents' beliefs may trump facts on HPV vaccine.(News)(human papillomavirus vaccines)
June 1, 2006... Parents' beliefs, rather than knowledge, can be expected to drive their acceptance of human papillomavirus vaccines for their children, according to a new study. Therefore, simply educating them about human papillomavirus (HPV) "may not be...

Obstacles foreseen for papillomavirus vaccine.(News)
June 1, 2006... JACKSONVILLE, FLA. -- Financial and logistic barriers will limit the implementation and impact of human papillomavirus vaccine, Dr. Lance Rodewald said at a conference on STD prevention sponsored by the Centers for Disease Control and...

Refrigerator-stable FluMist comparable to frozen.(News)
June 1, 2006... SAN FRANCISCO -- An experimental refrigerator-stable formulation of the live attenuated influenza vaccine marketed as FluMist was comparable to the approved frozen formulation in a phase III trial presented in a poster at the annual meeting of...

Parents shun shots for younger siblings of autistics.(News)
June 1, 2006... SAN FRANCISCO -- Less than half of the younger siblings of children with autism are fully immunized, according to a small study presented by Pamela E. Green, M.H.Sc., in a poster session at the annual meeting of the Pediatric Academic...

Promethazine contraindicated for kids under 2.(News)(Brief article)
June 1, 2006... The Food and Drug Administration has issued a safety warning to alert health care professionals that promethazine HCl in all forms, including syrup, is contraindicated in children younger than 2 years of age. Physicians also are being...

Meningococcal vaccine Menactra in short supply.(News)(Brief article)
June 1, 2006... College freshman living in dorms and adolescents entering high school are moving to the head of the line to receive Menactra, following an announcement from the manufacturer that the company won't be able to meet demand for the meningococcal...

FDA advisory issued for three bronchodilators.(News)
June 1, 2006... The Food and Drug Administration has issued a public health advisory emphasizing the potentially lethal risk of bronchospasm in children using any of three brands of bronchodilators, as noted in two of the drugs' new medication guides and in...

Friends count in teens' initiation into smoking.(News)(Brief article)
June 1, 2006... A close friend's smoking habits were 12% more influential than parents' habits in an adolescent's first transition to smoking, reported Jonathan B. Bricker, Ph.D., of the Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center, Seattle, and his colleagues. ...

Phone care billing: pros, cons.(News)(billing for pediatric phone consultations)
June 1, 2006... Although there are many good reasons for charging for telephone care, there are--as with most things--some disadvantages to consider as well, noted Dr. Hertz. Telephone care can be a valuable tool for triage and advice; disease and case...

Physician, immunize thyself!(ID Consult)(immunization for medical personnel and office staff)
June 1, 2006... Do the right thing: Immunize yourself and your office staff! With the recent licensure of a new acellular pertussis vaccine for adults, now is a good time to review the immunization status of heath care workers in your setting. We should...

Influenza C: a common cause of URT illness.(ID Consult)(upper respiratory tract illness)
June 1, 2006... In children younger than 6 years but older than 6 months, the influenza C virus is a significant cause of upper respiratory tract illness and is probably contracted in many cases from a preschool-aged child in the same home, Japanese...

Drops approved for chronic eczematous external otitis.(ID Consult)(fluocinolone acetonide oil 0.01% ear drops)(Brief article)
June 1, 2006... KOLOA, HAWAII -- Fluocinolone acetonide oil 0.01% ear drops have recently become the first-ever drug to earn a Food and Drug Administration indication for the treatment of chronic eczematous external otitis, Dr. Lawrence F. Eichenfield said at...

Vaccination still vital in human rabies exposure.(Infectious Diseases)(rabid dogs rarer than other rabies infected animals)
June 1, 2006... SCOTTSDALE, ARIZ. -- Despite the first known survival of an unvaccinated rabies patient, prophylaxis still is the only proven defense after rabies exposure, Dr. L. Barry Seltz told physicians at a pediatric update sponsored by Phoenix...

MRSA and thrombosis in osteomyelitis.(Clinical Capsules)(methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus )(Brief article)
June 1, 2006... Although venous thrombosis is rare in osteomyelitis patients, the community-acquired methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus that predominates in Texas may have a unique ability to cause VT in these patients, reported Dr. Blanca E. Gonzalez...

Vancomycin linked to hearing loss.(Clinical Capsules)(Brief article)
June 1, 2006... A significant increase in hearing loss occurred among children with pneumococcal meningitis who received vancomycin less than 2 hours after a first dose of cefotaxime or ceftriaxone, reported Dr. Steven C. Buckingham of the University of...

Hispanic neonates and pertussis.(Clinical Capsules)(Brief article)
June 1, 2006... Low concentrations of pertussis toxin-specific immunoglobulin G (PT-specific IgG) might explain the increased risk of pertussis that has been consistently reported in Hispanic infants, reported Dr. C. Mary Healy of Baylor College of Medicine,...

Human bocavirus reported in U.S. children.(Infectious Diseases)
June 1, 2006... SAN FRANCISCO -- A new parvovirus linked to respiratory tract infections in young children is circulating in the New Haven area of Connecticut, an infectious disease laboratory at Yale University has reported. Dr. Deniz Kesebir said the...

Dexamethasone is protective in bacterial meningitis.(Infectious Diseases)(dexamethasone and antibiotic combination therapy)
June 1, 2006... CHICAGO -- Dexamethasone treatment can reduce the sequelae of pediatric bacterial meningitis when given prior to or concurrent with antibiotic therapy, according to Dr. Marianne Gausche-Hill. "Although this issue has been controversial in...

Guidelines set on vaccine use in mumps outbreak.(Infectious Diseases)
June 1, 2006... All health care workers should receive two doses of the measles-mumps-rubella vaccine if they don't have evidence of immunity, the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention voted during a...

Many teenagers ignorant of STD risks of oral sex.(Infectious Diseases)(survey on sexually transmitted disease knowledge)(Survey)(Brief article)
June 1, 2006... More than one-quarter of teenagers in a recent survey did not know that sexually transmitted diseases can be passed through oral sex, reported Ms. Nicole Stone, at the Centre for Sexual Health Research, University of Southampton, England, and...

Many in cohort surviving HIV-infected heritage.(Infectious Diseases)(follow up on HIV infected children)
June 1, 2006... OLD GREENWICH, CONN. -- A small cohort of young people who were born infected with HIV is alive and well, and struggling to come to grips with an adulthood no one ever thought they'd live to reach. "We first saw some of these kids when they...

Utah flu hospitalization data from 2004 to 2005 show ethnic disparities.(Infectious Diseases)(Brief article)
June 1, 2006... ATLANTA -- Blacks, Asians, and Hispanics were significantly more likely to be hospitalized for influenza during the 2004-2005 flu season in Utah, compared with non-Hispanic whites, Lisa Wyman reported in a poster presented at the International...

Tribute to a tongue depressor.(Letters From Maine)
June 1, 2006... Those of us practicing primary care pediatrics often refer to ourselves as "being in the trenches" or working on the "front lines." But if one extends this battleground metaphor much further, it's clear that we are very poorly armed warriors...

Drug results variable against autistic symptoms.(Behavioral Pediatrics)
June 1, 2006... TORONTO -- Some symptoms associated with autism--including hyperactivity, inattention, stereotypy, and aggression--can be improved with pharmacotherapy, Dr. Christopher McDougle said at the joint annual meeting of the American Academy of Child...

ADHD treatment less risky than nontreatment.(Behavioral Pediatrics)(attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder)
June 1, 2006... MIAMI BEACH -- The risks of not treating attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder are far greater than the risks of treating the disorder, Dr. David Goodman reported at the annual meeting of the American Society for Adolescent Psychiatry. ...

The agony and anger of facing autism.(Behavioral Consult)(working with parents of newly diagnosed autistic children)
June 1, 2006... The spectrum of disorders from autism to pervasive developmental disorder to Asperger's syndrome has always been a conundrum for pediatricians but never more than it is now. These disorders are in the news and in your face. Most of this...

Risperidone improves adaptive behavior in autistic children.(Behavioral Consult)(Brief article)
June 1, 2006... Autistic children who took risperidone demonstrated significant improvements in adaptive behavior in their daily living skills, socialization skills, and communication skills, reported Susan K. Williams, Ph.D., of Yale University, New Haven,...

Depression screening can extend to parents at visits.(Behavioral Pediatrics)
June 1, 2006... QUEBEC CITY -- Brief pediatric depression screening during well-child visits can detect parents at risk and requires little extra time, Dr. Ardis L. Olson reported at the annual meeting of the North American Primary Care Research Group. ...

Nature and media's nurture spawn girl violence.(Behavioral Pediatrics)
June 1, 2006... ATLANTA -- The media shares the blame for the rising tide of girl violence. But this tide would not be rising if females did not naturally have tendencies to aggression that are in some ways as strong as those of males, James Garbarino, Ph.D.,...

Teen girls especially vulnerable to depression risk factors.(Behavioral Pediatrics)
June 1, 2006... MIAMI BEACH -- Studies increasingly suggest that adolescent girls are particularly vulnerable to many of the risk factors for major depression, and that depression in this population manifests in several unique ways. For example, depressed...

CPR guidelines stress compressions over breaths.(Clinical Rounds)(cardiopulmonary resuscitation)
June 1, 2006... CHICAGO -- The American Heart Association's renewed emphasis on compression versus ventilation in its latest cardiopulmonary resuscitation guidelines folds children and adults into the same category when only one rescuer is present. In the...

Metformin shows little benefit in obese children.(Clinical Rounds)
June 1, 2006... OLD GREENWICH, CONN. -- Metformin gave only a modest additional benefit to a 12-week program of nutritional counseling for obese nondiabetic children and their families, Dr. Radhika Purushothaman reported at a meeting of the Eastern Society for...

Watch for fatty liver disease in obese children.(Clinical Rounds)(nonalcoholic fatty liver disease )
June 1, 2006... ATLANTA -- Obese children are at risk for developing nonalcoholic fatty liver disease and nonalcoholic steatohepatitis, which can lead to fibrosis and cirrhosis, speakers said at a meeting sponsored by the American Association for the Study of...

Strategies can overcome fear of CPAP mask: parents can help children accept continuous positive airway pressure treatment of obstructive sleep apnea.(Clinical Rounds)(continuous positive airway pressure)
June 1, 2006... SAN JUAN, P.R. -- Continuous positive airway pressure can be effective for obstructive sleep apnea in children, but parents must be persistent to ensure children's acceptance of the treatment, Dr. Ann C. Halbower said at a meeting sponsored by...

Latency test costly, but best for evaluating daytime sleepiness.(Clinical Rounds)
June 1, 2006... RANCHO MIRAGE, CALIF. -- In diagnosing a child with an extreme case of daytime sleepiness, there's no good substitute for the multiple sleep latency test, Dr. Timothy F. Hoban said at a conference on sleep disorders in infancy and childhood...

Study: asthma meds fail in many compliant kids.(Clinical Rounds)
June 1, 2006... SAN FRANCISCO -- A study of 975 asthmatic children in four states found that only one child in five achieved optimal symptom control through use of preventive medication. While 37% of the symptomatic children did not use any preventive...

Cochrane review favors inhaled corticosteroids.(Clinical Rounds)(treatment of chronic asthma)
June 1, 2006... Inhaled corticosteroids are better than sodium cromoglycate in measures of lung function and asthma control in children and adults with chronic asthma, the first-ever systematic review of its kind has concluded. "The results suggest that...

Pregnancy rate is higher if sex starts before 15.(Clinical Rounds)(Brief article)
June 1, 2006... Teenage girls who have sex before the age of 15 years are more likely to become pregnant than teens who delay sex, according to an analysis from the National Campaign to Prevent Teen Pregnancy. About 46% of girls who have had sex at least...

Nutritional deficiency may cause facial eruption.(Clinical Rounds)(pediatric malnutrition )
June 1, 2006... PARK CITY, UTAH -- Physicians should consider nutritional deficiencies when diagnosing facial eruptions in infants and children, according to Dr. Beth Drolet. One of the more perplexing cases she described at a clinical dermatology seminar...

Pressure's on to adopt electronic health records: many of the biggest players are gathering this month in Washington for National Health IT Week.(Practice Trends)
June 1, 2006... More than 2 years after President Bush issued his call to action on the adoption of electronic health records, experts say there is growing pressure on physicians to heed that call. Although physician adoption of EHRs remains...

Expert recommends using this year's cutting-edge billing codes.(Practice Trends)
June 1, 2006... WASHINGTON -- There are some new billing codes available this year to think about incorporating into your practice, Dr. Joel E Bradley Jr. said at a meeting sponsored by the American Academy of Pediatrics. Dr. Bradley of Vanderbilt...

Verbatim.(Practice Trends)
June 1, 2006... "It's important to make the distinction between burnout and depression. Burnout is more of a reference to your work setting, whereas depression.., would extend to every aspect of your life." Dr. Darrell A. Campbell Jr., p. 46

Nifty ways to leave the burnout behind.(The Rest of Your Life)(physician burnout)
June 1, 2006... Dr. Darrell A. Campbell Jr. followed in his father's footsteps and became a surgeon. But the young Dr. Campbell is careful not to follow in his father's footsteps of letting his work consume him to the point of burnout. "I saw it firsthand...

SCHIP funds reallocated.(Policy & Practice)(State Children's Health Insurance Program)(Brief article)
June 1, 2006... Pediatricians in 12 states and five territories who feared that State Children's Health Insurance Program (SCHIP) money would run out can breathe a little easier; federal checks to their programs are in the mail. The Centers for Medicare and...

Boost active living in 2006-2007.(Policy & Practice)(schools with National School Lunch and/or Breakfast Program funds to develop wellness policies)(Brief article)
June 1, 2006... Sustainable active-living policies have the best chance of reversing current trends in pediatric obesity, and the 2006-2007 school year brings a new opportunity for pediatricians to advocate such policies. Writing in the journal Pediatrics, the...

Bullying may discourage exercise.(Policy & Practice)(Brief article)
June 1, 2006... Bullying may deter overweight youth from physical activity, a preliminary study found. Eric A. Storch, Ph.D, and his colleagues at the University of Florida surveyed 92 at-risk-for-overweight and overweight children and adolescents who attended...

Underage drinking up--and down.(Policy & Practice)(Brief article)
June 1, 2006... Underage alcohol use was up in California and Wisconsin in 2003-2004, compared with a year earlier, but down in Michigan and South Carolina, according to a new report from the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA)....

Few physicians screen for postpartum depression.(Practice Trends)(Survey)(Brief article)
June 1, 2006... WASHINGTON -- Only 9% of 276 physicians surveyed use standardized screening measures to assess patients for postpartum depression, reported Randy Fingerhut, Ph.D., in a poster presented at the annual meeting of the Association for Behavioral...

Nightmares on scheduling street, part 2.(Efficient Pediatrician Practices)
June 1, 2006... In the debut of this series last month, I talked about how to adjust your practice schedule when faced with true emergencies, no-shows, and last-minute cancellations. This month, I cover more scheduling issues: * Tag-along visits. *...